Would a radiologist be as good reading an MRI scan…?
For your simple question of who does a better job reading the scan…a neuroradiologist (radiologist specifically trained in reading neuroimaging) is going to be the best. However, they are not widely available outside major universities. If its a general radiologist vs. the neurologist probably the neurologist is better on average but its close to a toss up. More importantly, the neurologist will be able to put the MRI findings in clinical perspective. The MRI is a one snapshot picture and a small piece of the puzzle. Finally, standard MRI’s look for structural changes in the brain. They do not directly assess mental slowing or IQ. What the radiologist meant regarding the 15-20% chance is that if there are major mental problems clinically, the MRI will show something abnormal on the brain 15-20%. For someone who is able to ask a question on YA that number will be much much lower.
